Gateway Reviews

The Gateway Review Process is in place to strengthen governance and assurance practices and to assist non-corporate Commonwealth entities to successfully deliver major projects and programmes.

What does a Gateway Review involve?

If you are implementing a high risk proposal that is subject to the Gateway Review Process, a series of short, intensive reviews will be conducted at critical points across a proposal’s implementation lifecycle (normally over several years). The purpose is to provide the Senior Responsible Officer with independent assurance and advice to improve the delivery and implementation of your policies, programmes, projects, and services, as well as providing an early identification of areas requiring corrective action.

Is my programme/project in scope for Gateway?

If you are bringing forward a high risk New Policy Proposal that meets the following financial thresholds Finance may recommend to Government that your proposal should be subject to the Gateway Review Process.

Projects with a total estimated cost of $30 million or more for procurement or infrastructure;

Projects with a total estimated cost of $30 million or more including an ICT component of at least $10 million

Programmes with a total estimated cost of over $50 million.

Note: Gateway does not apply to Defence Capability Plan projects assessed by Cabinet under the Kinnaird two-pass approval process.

How does the Gateway Review Process align with other approval processes?

The Gateway Review Process complements other Government approval processes such as the ICT Investment Approval processes for ICT-enabled proposals.

The difference between these processes is that the ICT Investment Approval process is designed to inform Cabinet prior to an investment decision. The Gateway Review Process on the other hand is designed to help the delivery entity by providing independent advice through development and implementation of the project or programme. Refer to the ICT Investment Approval process page for further information.

Where your proposal is subject to both the Gateway Review Process and either the ICT Investment Approval process or Two Stage Capital Works Approval Process, the requirement to conduct the Gateway Gate 0 and 1 reviews is not mandatory. In this scenario, the Gateway Review Process will commence after the Government has approved your proposal and will focus on implementation.